KIT Sudostroenie Lotos (part of Baltic Group) will build a shipyard in the "Lotos" Special Economic Zone (SEZ) 40 km from Astrakhan. The enterprise will be established on the basis of existing shipbuilding facilities, stated the company's CEO, Vasily Semenov.
The first vessels to be built here will be launched in 2030–2032. The company will focus on the production of river-sea vessels for transporting containers and bulk cargo, platforms for servicing oil and gas projects in the Caspian Sea, tugboats, and pilot boats.
This is the most mass-produced and in-demand segment for the Caspian basin and the "North-South" international transport corridor. This focus is due to the growth of transit traffic.
The new shipyard will handle metalworking, hull assembly, and control and generator equipment systems. Within 5 years, as cooperation with other Russian enterprises expands, the localization level will increase to 70-80%. This will allow KIT Sudostroenie Lotos to be independent of foreign components.
In June 2026, the Astrakhan region authorities and KIT Sudostroenie Lotos signed an investment agreement for 10 years. It provides for the construction of vessels for the Caspian Sea and the production of high-tech components, including power plants and pumping equipment. Investments in the first stage will amount to 5 billion rubles.